Sequence timer and measuring control



y 1, 1945. J. E. PRESTON 2,374,779

SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Filed March 27, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN E. PRESTON ATTORN EYS May 1, 1945. PRESTON 2,374,779

' SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Filed March 27, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN E.' PRESTON ATTORNEY y 1, 1945- J. E. PRESTON 2,374,779

SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL I Filed March 27, 1942 10 Shets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHN E. PRESTON ATTORNEYS F 8 k j, :1 i a May 1, 1945. J. E. PRESTON SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL l0 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOHN E. PRESTON Filed March 27, 1942 WM ATTORNEYS y 1945. .1. E. PRESTON SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Filed March 27, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 v w w T 7% O MN V MvT mN A H 0 J Y B m ot 10 Sheet s-Sheet 6 lNVENTOR JOHN E. PRESTON BY %A MW/ ATTORNEYS Filed March 27, 1942 J E PRESTON SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL May 1, 1945.

M y 1, 1945. J. E. pEsTo- 2,374,779

SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Filed March 27, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR JOHN E, PRESTON Y fi w ATTORNEYS \NVENTOR JOHN E. PRESTON W I ATTORNEYS 10 Sheefs-Sh eet 8 J E PRESTON SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Flled March 27, 1942 May 1,1945.

y 1945. J. EQPRESTON 2,374,779

SEQUENCE TIMER AND MEA$URING CONTROL Fil ed March 27, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR M E. PRESTON BY ATTORNEYS y 1945- J. E. PRESTON 2,374,779

SEQUENCETIMER AND MEASURING CONTROL Filed llar 'ch 27, 1942 lb Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR I JOHN E. PRESTON BY V ATTORNEW PatentedMay 1, 1945 UNITED sures mam OFFlQ SEQUENCE TIMER AND CONTROL iohn E. Preston, Cincinnati,

MEASURING Ohio, assignor to The American IJ-aundry Company, Cincinnati hio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 21,1942, Serial No. 436,465

2:; Claims. (Cl. 270-81) This invention relatesto time delay relays such as are used for producing a delayed response for anypurpose, such as-ror indicating, recording, measuring the duration of, or causing, 'a definite time interval, or for measuring a dimension of articles, either as the soleduty or in connection with the performance of some operation on'or with respect to them, and to the method of operation practiced by or with such relays as variously employed in the arts.

While in certain of its aspects a given embodiment of the invention may be partly or wholly of mechanical form,'the invention has more particular relation to that form of time delay relay comprising a grid controlled electron discharge device whose anode-cathode circuit may be rendered conductive or nonrconductive by change in or adjustment of the grid potential, together with means for changing the grid potential continuously, progressively, and in the same direction, it. e., either up or down, until, after the tential of the grid circuit of an electron dising the operation lapse of the total time delay period, it reaches the critical control value and thereby produces a delayed response in the anode-cathode circuit. One object of the invention is to provide means and a method for controlling the duration of the time period which elapses before the grid potential reaches the critical control value, by splitting up, a it were, the total time delay period into at least two portions during one of which the change in or adjustment of said potential occurs at one rate, and during another of which it ,occurs at a. different rate, thereby enabling any time delay period, within to be produced,

caused or measured, and always with a proportionate relation to the maximum possible time delay with the particular relay being operated.

Another object, of the invention is to provide, in connection with a time delay relay of e racter described, improved means'and m thod for operating such relay variously during difierent cycles of operation, thereby to secure, produce,

or measure difierent time intervals bearing a proportionate relation to each other or to the maxi mum possible time interval, and more particularly to secure the benefits of such proportionate relation by a division of the time interval into at least two portions variously related and the selection of difierent rates of adjustment of the grid potential during corresponding portions of the same interval. I Another object of the invention is to provide time delay relay means of thecharacter described, in which the time delay period is determined by progressively modh'ying or adjusting the potime delay charge device in one direction, i. e., either upalone or down alone, until it reaches the cut oif point or.critical control value, and more particularly, by varying the rate of adjustment of grid potential during difierent portions of the period, thereby to vary duration'oi such period.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved time delay relay of the character described, in which the time delay is determined tem to be simple in form and more certain and exact in operation, and adjustable for the production of any desired results.

Another object of theinvention is to provide improved method and means for employing such a time delay relay in the operation of measuring articles of varymg length, and particularly articles which vary in length between a predetermined minimum and a predetermined maximum, by first discarding, as itwere, from the length of each article; a predetermined length, such as the length of a minimum length article, and then measuring the remaining portion of the length of the-article, thereby simplifying the operation by reduction in the total length to be actually measured.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus of this kind, including means for performing an operation with respect to an article and means for producing relative travel along a path between such means and the article,

in which measurement ofthe article is performed by the use of'a' plurality, such as two, of trip finger or devices spaced apart along said path of travel, which not only adapts the mechanism to the use ofisimplified and improved time delay relay means, such as that before described, but

- also simplifies and improves the measuring oporation by the opportimity to discard a. portion of the length of the article during the measuring operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for controlling the circuits to the electron discharge device by an interlock, as

, it were, in said circuits, permitting articles to be spect to the same article, so that points may bedetermined at various proportionate distances from an end thereof during one passage of the article with respect to the measuring devices.

A further object is to provide improved means, in a time delay relay of the characterdescribed,

for charging the control capacity, either by half waverectification of an electron discharge device, by full wave rectification thereof, or by a voltage controlled in accordance with the rate of travel of the article being measured.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The present invention is useful for a wide variety of purposes and is understood not to be limited to' any particular method or device here chosen for purposes of illustration and described more or less in detail.

In one of its broad aspects and considered alone from the standpoint of its embodiment in the electrical form including an electron discharge device, the invention is of use for a wide variety of purposes and in many different ways. For example, without any effect upon an outside load or device, it may be used solely for the purpose of determining or selecting or" indicating time periods, particularly when of relatively short duration, such as intervals of a fraction of a sec-.

nd or a few seconds, although the invention is useful for longer periods of time. It may be entirely manually controlled, producing or giving some evidence of the lapse of a given time interval, or by association with other apparatus may determine or indicate a period of time involved .in its operation, such as the length of the dot or dash in the Morse telegraphic code, the time re;

, quired for an elevator to advance one floor, or

for like uses. Again, it may be employed for measuring purposes, either to measure time in 1 tervals or even distances. For example, relays forming some operation with respect to the article at a point located upon it proportionately according to its length. For example, it'may be desirable to sever a series of articles, such as wire rods, each exactly at its mid-point, mat a point located a third or a quarter or some other pro,-

portionate distance from one end, regardless-ofits length. Or, it might be desirable to indent or to punch a hole in each of a series of metal s ip at points similarly located, regardless. of

, varying length in thearticles of aseries. Again,

, theinvention may be 'employed in connection with the printing of a legend at the quarter point, third. point, mid-point or some other point of each of articles varying in length. And again,

the invention maybe employed in connection with folding machines for sheets or strips of leathencomposition sheet material, various textile fabrics, paper or the like.- Forconvenience,

and in no sense of limitation, the invention will be described first in connection with a. folding machine for producing transverse folds at one or more points distributed along the length of articles made of textile fabric, such as is used in the folding of sheets, table cloths, pillow slips,

towels and like articles of flatwork subsequent to the usual laundering operations performed upon them, all without reference, except such as may be necessary or desirable, to other uses of the invention, some of which will be later referred to more in detail.

My new and improved method of measuring, when used for predetermining the locations of the transverse folds in textile fabric towels, proceeds upon the assumption that the articles to be measured vary in length between a preselected minimum and-a preselected maximum. Such towels, in a folding machine, are advanced along a path to a suitable folding device, such as a pair of rolls and a folding blade for tucking the article between them. Of course, when the articles vary in length, they can be moved, one by one, past a trip finger which takes account of the leading edge of the article, its rate of travel,

and its trailing edge, so that when the trailing edge reaches the trip the total lengthof the article has been measured and determined. As-'- suming, for example, that the transverse fold is to be made at exactly the mid-point, the folding may be actuated immediately the trailing edge 'of a maximum length article engages the trip.

nite point, and second,-any advance of the article The amount of such advance will depend upon the location of the fold. When the fold is to be at the mid-point, as referred to, the amount of advance is one-half of the difference in length between the particular article and.the length of the maximum length article.

S0, in the operational a folding-machine upon a series of such articles, two things are necessary, 1 first, the measurement of the article; usually accomplished when its trailing edge reaches a defito the folding point, if it is shorter than the maximum length.

As will be described more fully hereinafter, I simplify-and improve the method of measuring, in apparatus of this kind, by a procedure which in effect subtracts from the: lengthof each article a predetermined definite length, usually the length of the length article, and measures only the balance of the length." In other words, I measure, on each article, only its excess in length over the minimum length. Subse-'- quently, in accordance with thatmeasurement, the article is advanced, if necessary, until the point upon it to befolded reaches the folding 1 device.- I

Control of the measuring devices maybe entirely mechanical, entirely electrical, or a combi nation of the two,.and in some cases might in- I of the length of the elude other forms of power transmission or conversion, such as the use of fluid pressure. In the-' machine first to be described, the control is encharge valve or device of any suitable type. In such devices, one effect is the relaying, into the anode-cathode circuit'of the effect of, variations in potential in the grid circuit. The electron dis- V pletely discharged. It may tirely electrical and includes an electron discapacitance as discharged or substantially discharge device has a cut off point, i. e., its potential I has a critical control value above which its anodecathode circuit is nonconductive or does notpass current, and below which the circuit is conductive.

thereto of means to adjust or vary its grid potential', by either raising or lowering the same, until it reaches or arrives at the cut-off point, thereby producing a response in the anode-cathode circuit, by rendering the same either conductive or nonconductive. One suitable way of so controlling the electron discharge device is by the inclusion in its gridcircuit of a capacitance which is charged or discharged in any suitable manner, to vary the grid potential,

initiating operation of the the full length or a desirable proportion of the full length of'an article topass a given point, a period of the order of one second or a fraction thereof, more or less. trolling the charge or discharge of the capacitance may be employed, one simple way of doing so is by the use of variableresistance in shunt with the capacitance.

In that form of the present invention to be first described, according to my new method of measurement, I vary the time'delay period by varying the potential of the grid circuit, and modifying the rate of variation of potential dur- While any method of con- I utilize such a valve device by the application charged, when it is discharged to an extent sufflcient to cause the grid potential toreach the cut-oil point or critical control value.

With all the foregoing in mind, reference may now be had to the drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the invention, and in which, throughout, similar reference characters represent the same or corresponding parts in allviews.

v For. example, assuming the capacitance charged, at the instant of device as a relay, the capacitance begins to discharge, the operationcontinuing over an appre'ciable period of time, by which I mean a time period suiflcient to enable location of a single 'Fig'. l is a diagram, illustrating the invention applied to a folding machine provided with electrical control and relay devices for measuring articles varying in length and determining the producing a single cross fold, and also providing a compelling interlock so that articles can follow each other in close succession.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating an arrangement providing speed controlled voltage for chargingv the control capacitancej Fig. Sis a similar view illustrating an arrangement for measuring successive articles and def the timer;

ing different portions of the time delay period.

Thus I am able to vary the total length-or the duration of the time delayperiod in accordance each article being measured tinuously by successive increments, one increment at one rate andanother increment at another rate, the change in rate being "effected in any suitable manner, such a by variation in resistance, and in a manner not only to take account article, but also to cause its advance to the proper a condenser, employed in the mannerdescribed,

position for folding, in accordance with its length.

and the consequent variation in potential in the grid circuit of an electron discharge device, are functions which do not vary along a straight line, but along a. curved line. But the departure from straight line variation, particularly in that portion of the curve employed in practice, is not importance in pracand also the 'circuits whichare termining the location of two points on each, in proportion to the length of each, such as for producing two cross folds; I Fig. 4 i a schematic view, showing electromechanical control means embodying the invention and appiied to a folding machine;v i

Fig-5 is a detail sectional view of a portion t Fig. 6 is a sectional-elevation on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Fig. -7 is a detail fragmental section on the line 7-], Fig. 5;

Fig 8 is a diagram, corresponding to Fig. 1, and illustrating another simple form of the invention;

Figs. 9 to 12 are similar views, illustrating still other forms. M r Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically, an apparatus to which my form of control is applicable, utilized when the energy store. to be dissipated is represented by an electrical charge in a condenser. As representative of an operation to'be performed I have selected the folding of an article of laundry at a fixed position relative to the article length, for instance, as first described, a transverse fold at the mid-point, although, as before stated, the same control system and apparatus may beused for measurement alone, or for the performance of any operation with respect to articles, according to their length.

The folding machine may be of any suitable type and is illustrated more orless conventionally, because the detail of its mechanism form no part of the present invention. The machine,

. for example, may be of the same general form ing application for Referring to the folding machine, as illustrated point thereon, such as for first interrupts the electrical contact between a suitable first trip .device I and conducting plate II, and then between a second trip device 2 and the same plate II, the effect of which 4 interruptions will later appear. The article next passes above rotating rolls I2 and I3, which rolls cooperate with blade I4 to execute a transverse fold in the article whenever blade I4 is operated so as to move downwardly, such operation being motivated by energization of solenoid I5. Operation of said blade, in conjunction with pinch rolls I2 and I3, produces a transverse fold, and the folded article leaves the apparatus by chute I6.

Tubes A, B and- C are standard three-element, separate heater, A. C. electron discharge valves. Tubes A and B respectively cooperate with trips I and 2 to energize or deenergize'rela'ys I1 and I8 in the following manner, the tube A bein selected for a detailed explanation.

The filament IQ of tube A is energized from secondary of transformer T, the wiring for this purpose being partly broken away to simplify the diagram. The grid 2I of tube A is normally biased by resistor 22 to permit the passage of plate current from cathode 23 to plate 24. Under such normal bias, plate current flows through the following circuit: from point 25 in the secondary of transformer T through conductors 26, 2'1, cathode to plate of tube A, conductor 28, arma ture 29 of relay ll, wire 30, wiring of relayllli, conductors 3| and 32 to the secondary of transformer T. When relay I8 is energized by a rectifled half-cycle from transformer secondary 33, armature 34 moves from position b to position a. This performance of tube A takes place only when the gridis on normal bias, but, as will immediately appear, such normal bias is disturbed,

and the tube is overbiased, as long ascontact finger I is in contact with plate II.

When finger I touches plate II a supplementary grid bias is imposed on grid 2I of tube A by relay I1, and place armature 40 in position b.

Said charging current originates in the voltage divider 3! across secondary 380i transformer T,

and proceeds as follows: fromterminal 25 through conductors 26 and'fll, cathode 42 and' grid 43 of tube C, conductor 44 to condenser 39 and from said condenser throughconductors 45 and 46, armature 40 in position b, and conductor 41 back to the voltage divider 31. "The manner of discharge of condenser 39 will later appear.

As long as condenser 39 is charged, its potential is superimposed on the normal bias of tube C, said tube is overbiased, and plate current therein is interrupted so that armature it falls to position 1). Whenever said condenser 39 is discharged the tube C operates under normal bias and passes plate current through the following circuit: from secondary 33 of transformer T,

through conductors 26 and M, cathode to plate of tube C, conductor 49, relaywindings of relay 50, conductors 5| and 52 back to secondary 33. Relay being thus energized, armature d8 moves to position a, and thereupon current flows from 'L1 through conductor 53, armature 68 in position a, conductor 54, windings of solenoid I5, and conductor 55 to L2. I

Solenoid I5, when energized, may operate any suitable device, such as a signal, an indicator or recorder of length, a cutter, a printerfor like device, but of course, is here shown as operating blade I4 to perform a folding operation as heretocondenser 39 to such end pointtherefore controls means of the following-circuit: from terminal 25 on the secondary of transformer T through conductors 26 and 21, cathode to grid of tube A,

resistor 22, conductor 35, contact I, plate II, conductor 36 to voltage divider 31 across the secondary 38 of transformer T. This supplementary grid voltage is suflicient to block plate current in tube A so that when finger I is in contact with plate I I, tube A passes no plate current, relay I8 is deenergized, and armature 34 falls by gravity or spring bias to position b.

-In similar manner finger 2, when in contact with plate II, imposes a supplementary grid bias on tube B, likewise blocking plate current therethrough and deenergizing relay I'l. Tubes A-and B therefore serve as boosters in the respective functioning of relays I8 and I'Ifand said relays are sensitive to the passage of an article between plate II and the spaced trips I and 2.

Charging of control condenser by half wave rectification k v i Measurement of the article and its positioning atthe time of fold are accomplished or controlled by the .third electron discharge valve or device and associated capacitance, as will now'appear.

The accumulation and dissipation of an energy store, represented by the charging and discharging of capacitance or condenser 39, are con-.

trolled bysaid relays I1 and I8 as-wlll appear.

"Condenser 39 is,charged by means-of the rectithe timing of the folding operation.

I shall now'explain'the manner. in whichf an.

operation can be timed to be performed 'at corresponding pointson a traveling succession of articles of lengths varying between a fixed minimum and maximum. J

' Single operation on articles oj varying lengths Let us assume that an operation is to be per-- formed .at the mid-point of a series of articles.

For reasons which will become apparent, the

longest article to which the control. herein disclosed is applicable is an article whose mid-point registers with blade I4 as the trailing edge passes finger'l, and the shortest article is'one' whose leading edge is just displacing finger 2 as'its trailing edge leaves finger I. I

Considerfirst the effect produced by the passage of an article of maximum length past the two contact fingers. As its leading edge passes finger I, .tube A begins to pass plate current for reasons already explained, and armature 34 moves to position a. As the leading edge passes -finger 2, tube B passes plate current and armature 40 moves to position a. At this moment con- I denser discharge is through the following circuit:

from'condenser 39 through conductors 45 and 46,

armature 4a in its a position; conductor 56, resistors 51 and 58, conductor 59, armature 34, in a position, and conductor back to the condenser. The charge in condenser 39 has been so proportioned with relation to the resistance-value .of the discharging circuit, including resistors 5 1 and 53, that. the dischargereaches its operative end point at the moment when the unid- "point' of'the article registers withblade I4. At

this moment therefore-blade I4 is operated, as previously. explained, and this maximum length complete operation.

-' in other-words, that "to finger i is one-half the length of the article, 'or s inches. I

passes finger 2, the condenser is again charged by means of the circuit previously outlined.

We will now consider what takes place when an' article of intermediate length is to be folded.

' As before, when the leading edge of the article passes -finger l and intercepts finger 2, the condenser discharge begins. Since the article is shorter than the maximum length its trailing edge will pass finger l before its mid-point has reached blade M and before condenser 39 has discharged to its end point. Likewise, since the article is shorter than the maximum length, and since, at ordinary discharging rate, its midpoint/would pass blade M before the discharge endpoint is reached, I have provided means sensitive to contact of finger i with plate I i whereby the discharging rate isaccelerated as soon as the trailing edge passes finger i. The shorter I the trailing edge of the article reaches finger I',

the article, therefore, the sooner the accelerated rate of discharge begins. This will be illus trated, with quantitative values, hereafter.

When the trailing edge of this intermediate length article passes finger I, tube A is overbiased, relay i8 is deenergized, and armature 34 falls to position b. The discharge of condenser 39 which at normal rate proceeded through resistorsfil and 58 is now shunted around resistor 58 and passes through armature 34 in b position, and conductor 60. cuit resistance to one-half of its previous value and the discharge rate of condenser 39 is there.- fore doubled, so that the discharge end point is again reached when the mid-point registers with blade I 4, whereby the folding operation is executed as before.

The minimum length of article which may be successfully controlled for an operation of the nature describedis obviously one in which the discharge proceeds wholly at the accelerated rate.

This means that as finger 2 is intercepted by theleading edge, the trailing edge is just leaving finger I, thus shorting out resistor 58 for the Several concrete examples will now be given to quantitatively control device; l.

Assume that the longest article to be folded is 36 inches in length. This means that com-' This reduces the cir illustrate the operation; of my,

5 number of examples within, the above maximum and minimum article lengths, that if we term plete discharge of condenser 39 is permitted to proceed at the original retarded'rate which in tum means that when .blade i4 is operated, the trailing edge must be just leaving finger i, or, the distance from blade ill Assume further that the shortest article to be energy. When discharged at normal rate, the

trailing edge will arrive at finger I, and the midpoint of the article simultaneously at blade 14, when the energy charge is dissipated.

Consider now what happens when an article of 24 inches length is to be folded at the midpoint. As normal discharge begins, twelve inches of the article is still back of finger l, and normal discharge continues while these twelve inches travel past finger I, thus dissipating 12 units "of energy out of the original 24 unit charge. When the mid-point of the article is still 6 inches away from blade I 4. If blade i 4 is .to be actuated when this mid-point is registered with the blade, the remaining 12 units of energy must be dissipated while the towel is moving 6 inches, or at double rate. As already described, this is exactly what happens, since the accelerated rate begins as soon as the trailing edge passes finger i.

With an article of minimum length, in this case 12 inches, discharge immediately begins at the accelerated rate since'thetrailing edge is leaving finger i as the leading edge contacts finger 2. At this time the mid-point of the article is 12 inches from blade M, and, at theaccelerated discharge rate, the 24 units of energy will be discharged to an end .point simultaneously with the an'ival of the mid-point of the article to registry with the blade.

The following relationships between the several variables (such as the article length, the amount of energy charge, fingers with respect to each other and to the folding blade) appear from a consideration of the above quantitative examples. v

For a mid-point operation, if the minimum length of article he represented by X, the spacing between contact fingers also has a value X, and the maximum length of article is 3X. The distance from finger l is one and one-half X or 2 p c The energy charge is the number of units represented by 2X. For articles of any length L, it will be apparent, from'a consideration of any discharge? and the accelerated rate as the sec sponds to the difference between the length of end increment of discharge,

then the energy increment corredischarged during this first the article and that of the minimum length .5 articlei or and the energy discharged durabove that this length determines the of fingers i and 2, and therefore finger 2-is 12"" inches from finger I and 6 inches from blade M. I To determine'the proper energy charge for condenser 39, for convenience we will refer to' that increment of capacitance which at normal rate discharges during a one inch advance of the article as one unit ,of energy. As the leading edge'of a. 36 inch article intercepts finger 2, condenser discharge begins. Since fingers l and 2 'ing the second increment corresponds to the differen'c' between the maximum length of the article, or 3XL.

For a fold at any other point, such as a fold length and the at one-fourth the article length from its trailing edge, the same control principle is used except that the values-of resistors 51 and 58 (Fig. 1)

are proportioned to permit a discharge at four times the original rate, as soon as the trailing edge passes finger i. The sequence of steps and the circuits involved are identical described for the -mid-point fold.

the spacing of the contact to the operation point with those just 6 The following numerical relationships may be established for a fold at one-fourth the article length from the'trailing edge. The maximum length of article will have its quarter point in registry with the operation zone, or folding blade,

when its trailing edge is passing'finger I, and

. the minimum length article will be equal to the distance between contacts l'and 2 as before. If we let X represent this minimum length article, then the maximum length will be 5X, the distance between contact fingers will be X and the distance from the folding blade to finger I will be one and one-quarter X or The units of energy will be represented by ex.

eral variables may be determined as readily aswere the numerical examples above.

7 In the folding of articles. such as towels, of different lengths automatically, it is necessary to select a fold point which divides the towel fractionally, thatis, in halves, in quarters, etc. For the automatic measurement of the article a trigger or contact or trip finger of some kind is imposed in the path of the travel of the-article, so as to measure the time required for the article to passthetrip point. This measurement of the length of the article terminates when the trailing edge of the article has passed the trip point, and is a product of the speed of the article'and the time period required for its passage. We will call this period A time.

The folding device is usually located at aldistancelfrom the trip equal to the length of the longest article from itsfold pointto its trailing edge. Therefore, all shorter articles, after passing the trip, must be moved forwardfor an additional time perioduntil theiffgld points reach a and register with the folding device. This addit'ional time is always adefinite fraction of A time. The particular fraction depends on whether the article is to be folded in half, quarter or We will call some other fraction of its length.

If the towel this second time peri'odB time.

is to be folded in half, B time will be half of- A time, etc.

periods, is the time required from the start of the measurement to the'time at which the preselected fold point arrives at the folding device.

We will call this total time C time. i In folding articles as they travel along a path to a folding device, the device must make the fold upon the expira'tion of C time which is" 6 th sum or A time and B'time.

' Now, if we know the C time required for the longest article, and designate it D" time, we can refefall shorter articles to it and determine the Cftime for each, by the following equation:

w interlocking control In the preceding section we have explained that when the trailing edges of articles of intermediate'or minimum length pass finger I (Fig. 1), resistance 58 is shunted out of the discharge circuit of condenser 39 and discharge proceeds at an accelerated rate. It is apparent that if anwill instantly proceed atits original retarded rate,

thus destroying the accuracy of the timing operation on the first article. While various mechanical expedients can be made available to slow down succeeding articles sufficiently to permit a 1 completed measuring operation on each one before the following one reaches finger I, I have .provided means for interlocking the relays ll,

' l8 which permits articles to follow each other in closely spaced succession, the only requirement being that finger -2 is momentarily permitted to contact plate ll after each article passes, where-- by condenser 394s charged for each article in manner hereinbefore described.

' This modified circuit, which I term the interlocking control, is also illustrated in Fig. 1. I

have there shown a second armature lil for relay 48, and a second armature 29 for relay ll. These armatures are associated with the plate wire 28 of tube A, and either or both may be in such position as to permit the flow of said plate current, as willappear. Thisinterlock is not always necessary, however, and in some cases may be omitted. i

The charging and discharging of condenser 39 proceed through the same circuits before, de-- scribed. The interlock merely prevents interference by armature 34 with the accelerated discharge rate, once it has been initiated.

To explain the operation of this interlock let us, consider the folding of an article of intermediate length, requiring an increment of con- 40' denser charge at an accelerated rate, there'bemg a second article [following immediately thereafter. Now, when; the tube is normally biased, plate current for tube A may fiow through a main circuit as follows: from secondary 33 of transformer T through conductors 26, 21, cathode to plate .of tube A, conductor 28, armature 29 in b position, conductor 30 to relay l8 and from relay 48 through conductors 3!, 32 and 52 back to the transformer secondary. Originating at points 64 and 65 in this circuit is a shunt circuit consist ing'of conductor 66, armature 6| ina position The total, time,-br the sum of these two time and conductor 61. This parallel arrangement of armatures 29 and BI permits plate current to flow in normally biasedtubeA either if armature 29 is in position b, or armature 8| is in position a.

., Assume that the trailingedge of the first article has passed finger l, tube A is therefore over- 'biased by a cut-off voltage and passes'no plate current, and armatures 34 and 61 fall to position b. Since finger 2 is not in contact with plate I I, tube B is passing plate current and armatures 40 and 29 are in position a. Since therefore armature 291s in position a, and armature BI is in position b, the parallel circuits thereby cont'rolled are open, relay I8 in series with saidcircuit's is not energized, armature 34 is in positiorrb, and

. discharge proceeds at accelerated rate, without interruption until terminated in the usual way before described, for reasons as follows:

While this discharge is proceeding at said accelerated rate, assume that a second article interrupts contact between finger l and plate-l I. Without the interlock circuit described, this would throw armature 34. 'over to position a and interfere with the accelerated char ing rate, but

with the interlock circuit no result is produced because the plate current circuit of tube A is broken at-both armatures 29 and GI. This con- 34 and 6! are drawn to their position a by relay l8, and as soon as the leading edge of the second article reaches finger 2 a new cycle begins. ondenser 39' was recharged in the fractional part of a second intervening between the departure ofthe trailing edge of the firstarticle from finger 2 and the arrival at said finger of the leading edge of the second article.

Circuits for double operation It is frequently desirable to perform a double operation at spaced points on each of a succession of articles advancing on a conveyor. As an example of such a double operation we may consider the folding of an article first at its mid: point and then again at the middle of the once folded article, a type of double fold which we may term a half-quarter fold. Since mechanical limitations render it necessary that said folds be executed in chronologically spaced sequence, I have found it desirable to provide two energy stores represented by two charged condensers, each of which controls its own electron discharge valve and the corresponding folding blade of the folding machine.

A circuit arrangement for such double operation is shown in Fig. 3. In this arrangement condenser 39 controls-the operation of blade H for the half fold, as before,and condenser 68 con- J trols the operation of a second blade .69 for the quarter fold. In conjunction with condenser 68 I have provided an additional tube D, and associated therewith a relay Ill and a solenoid H for operation of blade 53. As in the previously discussed embodiment, finger 2 controls the operation of tube B and relay ll, which relay is here provided'with two armatures 40 and I2. The a and b positions of armature 40 respectively determine the charging and discharging of condenser 39 and the a and 1) positions ofarmature I2 functionsimilarly for condenser 68, as will be described more fully hereinafter. Resistors 51 and when in series permit a normal discharge rate forcondenser 39 and resistor 51 alone permits an accelerated dis-v charge rate. Resistors 84 and'8 2 function similarly for condenser 63.

Charging of the capacitance 39, 68, may be accomplished in the same manner as charging of capacitance 39in Fig. 1,-to-wit, by a rectified half cycle of A. C. current originating in the sec-- ondary 38 of transformer T and rectified by the familiar one-way valve action of the electron dis-. chargedevices C, D. However, .in the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 the condensers 39 and 33 are charged by full 'wave rectiflcation'from a separate source.

Thediagram shows arectifler R; which includes a standard full wave rectifier tube' 263 which receive A. C. current from the secondary,-

269 of transformer 21!! and delivers rectified cur-' rent which is regulated by a voltage regulator tube 21!. The condenser charging current proceeds as follows: from condenser 39 through conductor 60, armature 40 in position b, conductor 13, to rectifier R, and from the rectifier through conductors I4, 46 and 45 to condenser 39. The condenser is being charged when finger 2 is in contact with plate ll, so that armature 40 is in position b.

conductors 85, 46 and, armature 34, eitherv conductor 59 or T1 dependent on position of armature 34, through resistors 59 and 51 or resistor i, conductor 56, armature 40 in position a, conductor 60 back to condenser 39. r Condenser 68 simultaneously begins to discharge as follows: from the condenser through conductors 74a, 46 and '56, armature 39, either conductor 8| and resistor 82 or conductor 33, depending on position of armature $9, resistor 84, conductor 85, armature l2 in position a, conductor back to condenser 68. The manner whereby armatures 34 and 80 control the normal or accelerated rate of discharge of respective condensers 39 and .69 depending on article length as determined by finger I has heretofore been fully explained in connection with Fig. Land therefore need not here be repeated in detail.

In the specific. arrangement now being described, for half-quarter fold, the charge in condenser 39 is so proportioned relative to that in condenser 68, that condenser 39 always completes its discharge'first. This permits t be C to pass plate current and energize relay 59, ausing armature 43 tomove to position a, thereby causing energization of solenoid I! as follows: current from L1 proceeds through armature 48 in position a, conductor 95, armature 99 in position b, conductor 54, windings 0f solenoid I5, and conductors and 9|, to L2. Energization of solenoid l5 operates blade M to execute the half fold between rolls !2 and i3.

The charge in condenser 69, for the quarter fold, is being dissipated in a similar manner and normally would reach an end point as the proper operation point registers with blade l4., It is "necessary, however, that the quarter fold follow *the half fold, so that blade 69 ispeyond blade l4, and condenser must include an additional increment of charge discharge end point only when its quarter point -registers with blade 39. At this moment discharge of condenser 69 is completed, tube D passes plate current, relay i0 is energ zed, arma tu-redfimoves to p0sition,a, and solenoid H is energized as follows: from L1 through armature d8 fin position a,-conductor 35, armature 39 in position a, conductorjll, swith 38 in closed Doeition, 5 conductor 89 to solenoid H, and from solenoid ll through conductors 90 and ill to L2. Energization of solenoid 7| causes operation, of fold ing blade 69 which,'in conjunction with rolls l2 and [2a, folds the article at the quarter point.

To clarify the operation of the control device for ahalf-quarter foldi fiwe will consider the performance of an actual operation of this nature;

using quantitative value the control being of course adaptable to other values than those given hereinbelow.

The charging circuit for condenser 88 is as,

compellingdtto reach its inches separates fingers I and 2.

Let us assume that the maximum length of article to be folded is 36 inches. As explained in connection with Fig. 1, to produce a fold at 4 the middle .of such article, finger- I should be 18 inches from blade M. In spacing finger 2 we must first determine the length of the shortest article to which we desire to impart a quarter fold, and let us assume that thislength is 18,

inches. Finger 2 must be placed close enoughto 1. blade 69 so that the trailing edge of the article. will pass finger 2 before the second operation is performed, because as soon as the trailing edge 'When condenser 98 begins its accelerated discharge the quarter point of the 24 inch article is 13 /2 inches from blade 69 and since travel of I the article through this distance is at quadrupled rate, it represents 54 units of energy corresponding to the residual charge in condenser 68. Therefore, when the quarter point of the article registers with blade 69, condenser 98 reaches its :1 end point of discharge, permitting normal operation of tube D to energize relay 19 and there by energize solenoid H to operate blade 69.

mt fold on an 18 inch article the trailing edge tance between the operation points of blades It and B9, finger 2,n iay be placed 3 inches from blade I4 towards finger I, and a distance of 15 "Now when the forward edge of a 36 ineharticle intercepts finger 2, the middle of the article is 21 inches from the operation point-of blade II, and 21 unitsof energy, represented by the charge of'co'nde'nser 39, must be dissipated 'to time the operation of blade 14. This repre- 'sents the proper charge for condenser 39.

The charge for condenser 68 is also amenable to calculation, using the'assumed values given just above for article length and spacing of the operative elements, When the leading edge of the 36 inch article passes finger 2, condenser 68 begins to discharge, and when the trailing. edge of the article passes finger I, 21 units of energy.

havejbeen dissipated from both condensers 39 and and the half fold is just being executed.

' At the moment when the trailing edge passes causes travel'bf the work at constant speed. On

reflection it will appear that there is a necessary relationship between the rate of condenser dis- 1 article will have passed the, operating mechanismfinger I, as explained for the quarter fold in connectionwith Fig.1, the discharge rateof con.

denser is quadrupled. 'At this moment also the quarter point of a 3 6 inch article is still 10 inches .from the operation-pointforblade 69.

While the article-is traveling 19 /2 inches 42 units ofcharge will be dissipated at quadruple rate,

and'on adding thisf42 llnits to the 21 .units discharged at the normal rate we have 63 units as the-total charge for condenser 68.-

A complete operation will inow befollowed through for a half-quarter fold on an article of intermediate length, say 24'ii1ches. When the leading edge of the article intercepts finger armatures 34 and 80 ,move to position. a. When. the leading edge traverses another 15 inches and operation.

Both condensers 39' and 68 are recharged as the trailing edge of the article passes finger 2.

If for anyreasonit is desired 'to execute only the first or mid-point operation, switch '98 is opened.

- This switch is in-ser-ies with solenoid H and when the switch isopen blade 99 remains in its inoperative position. Under such conditions an article which has been folded at the mid-point leaves the machine by chute 16, whereas when blade 89 executes asecond fold in conjunction with rolls l2 and me, the article leaves the ma; chine by chutelfia. I

Charging control proportionedto 2 article speed In the circuit arrangements shown in Figs. 1

and 3, condenser 39 is given a definite charge and its discharge rate is entirely dependent on the resistance the discharging current encounters in its circuit, and it is assumed the conveyor belt Hi charge and the rate of travel of the articles being operated upon. Thus if the rate of article 9 d,

'vance is accelerated after the condenser charge has beendetermined, the operation point on the before said mechanism is energizedso that an error of indeterminable extent will result in each This can be corrected in several ways, for instance by introducing a compensating variation in the resistance value of the. discharging cir-.

cuit, dependent on the article speed, or by vary ing'the value of the condenser charge, dependent on the article speed. I have selected the latter expedient, and have illustrated, in Fig. 2,- a circuit modificationwherein a compensating bucking voltage is opposed to the char ing voltage.- the bucking voltage being directly proportianed to the rate of advance of .the article, for the fol- - lowing reason:

It is apparent thatif the article speed iscreases, the condenser discharge should take place in a shorter time, and consequently, in my present modification, the original condenser intercepts finger 2, condensers 39 and 68 to discharge at normal rate, and continue so to do while the trailing edge which is nine inches back of finger I advances to the pointwhere it passes finger I. This portion of the'operation dissipates 9 units of energy from condenser 39, leaving 12 units,pand 9 units from condenser 68,

' leaving 54 units. Discharge of condenser 39 nowproceeds at doubled rate and that or, condenser 68 at quadruple rate. v

When the trailing edge of the 24' inch article from registry with blade i4 and while the article traverses these fiinches, twelve units of energy from condenser 39 are discharged at the acceleratedrate', bringing said condenser to its end point of discharge, and permitting operation of blade l4.

charge should be smaller. opposed bucking voltage must be, increased, and it is obvious both from abstract consideration and actual trial that there is a direct relationship between'the i'ncreasein speed, and the increase in passes finger l the mid-point of the article is still. 6 inches away opposing voltage thereby required.

I have therefore interposed a direct current generator-92 (Fig.2) in the charging circuit for condenser-39, the generator being drivendirectly from roll 93 as by a belt 94 or in any othei suitable manner; This insures a direct relationship between a change in speed of article travel, and

a change in speed, and consequently current outt; f generator .92. The generator is prop- -.erly connected so that its output is opposed in- I polarity to'the charging voltage which is rectified in'tube C.. A variable voltage divider 31 ,across the secondary or transformer T is used This means that the ductor 4'! back to the voltage divider in the secondary of transformer T.

The following table shows one example of the relationship between the several variables when the rectified charging voltage is based at 120 volts.

Resultant Rectlfled Bucking Article sp ed (feet per min.) I voltage voltage cl g lr gglgg The table illustrates the direct relationship existing between the article speed and the bucking voltage, and the inverse relationship between I the article speed and the charging voltage. It

is further apparent that when the rectified voltage is held at 120 volts, the article speed and bucking voltage are conveniently identical.

The modification just described imposes an automatic compensating control which insures 60 to armature 3 3, thence alternately through one or both of resistors 51 and 58, conductor 56, armature in position a, conductor 96 to generator 92, and from the generator by conductors 95 and 45 back to the condenser.

With an arrangement such as described, in

cluding the generator 92, it is obvious that theactual charge applied to capacitance 39, during the charging operation, is dependent upon the compensating effect of generator 92, whose output is opposed to or bucks the output of the normal charging source, voltage divider 37. And the effect is in step with variations in speed of travel of the belts carrying the articles to be folded and which serve as the driver for generator 92. As the speed of travel of/the articles increases the charge of capacitance 39 is re-- duced. The net result is that even though the actual period of maximum time delay may vary from time to time, with variation in speed of travel of the articles, the time delay periods for articles of different length will always hear the same proportionate relationto each other, regardless of variations in speed of travel of the articles. That result is not affected, in the instance being described, by the fact that generator 92 is also included in the discharging circuit for capacitance 39, because said generator is then ineffective to vary thetime of discharge and becomes no more than a current conductor in the discharging circuit, as will be readily understood.

Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which the control devices are of electromechanical form, i. e., they embody both electrical circuits and mechanical devices. The mechanical devices are of the same general fo'rmillustrated, described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 2,034,040, granted March 17, 1936, to Oscar W. Johnson, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of the mechanical devices here described but briefly, if necessary or desirable. The electrical devices, however, include two suitable trip fingers or devices spaced apart along the path of movement of the articles to the folding devices,

' as in those embodiments of the invention before described,'enabling measurement of the article and its positioning with respect to the folding devices to be accomplished by measurement of only a portion of the length of each article, instead of its full length. In other words, in this machine, as in those before described, for measuring purposes the length of each article is reduced by a constant, and more particularly by the length of the minimum length article to be folded. The control devices illustrate clearly that the time delay relay of the present invention need not depend for its operation upon the dissipation or collection of a charge of energy, such as the charge of a capacitance, or even require use of an electron discharge device, but said time delay relay may be of other forms and operate in any suitable manner, such, for example, as in the Johnson patent before referred to, where the time delay is controlled by movement of a contact finger over a path and is dependent upon the amount of movement of that finger and its rate of movement during different increments of travel, as determined -by the control mechanism. The mechanical devices of the time delay relay or timer are best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

As illustrated a rotatable shaft lflll, through suitable change speed mechanisms, marked generally 50H at the right and tilt at the left, in Fig. 6, drives low speed wheels its, not. Fixed to the shaft for direct rotation therewith is a full speed wheel E05. As will appear, two low speed wheels are desirable for the production of two folds in an article and accordingly, the transmission mechanism Edi may be set to give wheel we either one-half or two-thirds full speed, and the transmission mechanism 802 to give wheel Hi l either one-quarter or one-third full speed.

Each of the wheels i033, 8, I05 is provided with teeth M6 on its outer periphery for engagement by latch. fingers till, ltll'a, of arms or travelers, several of which, marked MB, are mounted for rotation on the shaft I00 between. wheels 005 and A03 and several others of which, l08a, are mounted for rotation between wheels l M, ill-'5.

Operation of'the timer is initiated by energization of the solenoid lElEl which, through linkage t it rotates shafts Ml against the effect of their torsion springs lit to move outwardly annular cam bars H3, Fig. 7 (see topof Fig. 6) to swing the latch finger E0? on the arm 108 or lllBa which is at the release point (at the bottom in Fig. 5)

'- into engagement with a low speed wheel M3 or I00, as the case may be, thus interlocking the latch with the wheel and causing the arm to which it is attached to move with the Wheel and,

' therefore, at its speed.

Let us now consider, for example, the production of two fold in an article, one at the half the folding rolls I2a, I2b.

' but a single fold is desired,

edge of the article engages trip I, nothing happens, but as soon as the leading edge engages trip 2, so that both trips are closed, a circuit is established from L2 by way of wire H6, tripl,

wire 5, trip 2, wire IIB, solenoid I09 and wire 10 III to L1, initiating the coupling operation just described. The two arms I08 and 1811, coupled to the wheels I03, I06 immediately start travelling with said wheels. Their travel is continued until the trailing edge of the article passes trip I, which determines the location of the folds to be produced, by opening the circuit just described, permitting solenoid I09 to de-energize, whereupon the returning 'springs IIZ rotate shafts I I I in the reverse direction, the cams I I3 recede, the latches IU'I turn, and their inner arms Illla engage the teeth of the full speed wheel I05, so that their rotation is now at full speed.

On the outside of the timing casing, in housings H8 and M811, and adjustable circumferentially of the casing, are two switch devices, marked generally H9, Iliia.

Switch IIQ is used for causing operation of the first folding device. Accordingly it is adjusted circumferentially of the casing to a position appropriate to the production of a half fold. Switch I Ifla is used similarly for the second fold. These switches are normally open. Each includes a depending arm Itd adapted to be engaged by a finger I2I on one of the cooperating arms I08 or 35 IBM. Thus, when an arm I08, rotating at full speed, reaches a position where it's finger I2I engages the arm I20 and closes switch I I9, a cir-' cuit for producing the first fold is established as follows: from L2 by way of wire II, wire solenoid I5, wire I23, switch H9 and wire I26 and wire IN to L1. 'Energization of solenoid -II5 actuates folding blade It, as before, causing it to engage the article at its mid-point and introduce it to the folding rolls I2, I 3.

When arm I081; actuates switch |I9a fr producing the second fold, a circuit is established as follows: from La by wires Il l and I22 to the wire I25, solenoid II, wire I26, switch I21, switch IIQa, wire E28, wire IIl to'Li. Assuming switch I21 closed, actuation of switch 90,. energizes solenoid "II and actuates folding blade 69, to engage the article (now folded once) at its midpoint (the quarter point) and introduces it to Switch IZ'I is normally closed andis manually operated, and may be opened at any time when in which case the article is delivered to chute I6. When two folds are produced it is delivered to chute I6a.

By proper adjustment to other points along the casing, folds may be produced 'at the two-thirds and one-third points, or at any other desired points, it being assumed that appropriate adjustments are made in the transmissions IDI, IIIZ to move wheels- I03, I06 at the proper speeds.

In this machine, measurement of the article begins when its leading edge engages trip 2, and is completed when its trailing edge engages trip I. Thus only a portion of the article is measured, to-wit, its full length reduced by a constant, towit, the distance between the two trips.

Here, instead of controlling the folding by I proper use of a calculated fixed charge applied to 6 of the switches H9, Ilsa a capacitance, as in the forms before described, the folding is controlled by proper use of the distance an arm, such as I08 or lil8a, is permitted to travel from the starting point(at'the bottom tant the leading I 5 in Fig. 5) until it reaches the appropriate switch H9 or I-I9a. This distance may be calculated in the same manner employed for calculation of the capacitance charge in the form before described, and the switch is then adjusted to and fixed at the predetermined position, as will be readily understood.

When finger IE8 or I080. is released, by engagement of the article with both trips, it begins to travel at the reduced speed, one-half or onequarter or any other predetermined proportion of full speed, as may be required, and when the, trailing edge of the article passesthe first trip,

the latch finger is thrown over to couple the arm with the full speed wheel, and it continues'its advance at full speed until the switch I I9 or I I91; is engaged, which closes the circuit to energize the appropriate solenoid and actuate the folding blade. Thus, here, instead of using units of capacitance, by increments, as in the form before I described, the control mechanism uses units of distance or motion, by increments, but in just the same manner and for exactly the same purpose. The mechanism is obviously-capable of adjustment to meet any desired conditions as re- ,spects number and locationsof fold with respect to the length of the article, regardless of the length of the article, within reasonable limits, such as between a selected minimum and maximum, as before;

In certain of its aspects the present invention does not require the use of trip devices spaced apart along the path of relative travel between the article and folding device, in connection with a time delay relay of the character here involved.

40 More particularly, a time delay relay including an electron discharge device may be so arranged as to permit actuation thereof by a single trip,

not only for the production of a fold in an article, not proportionally to its length, for example, at a definite distance from one edge thereof, but also .in proportion to its length, regardless of the actual length. These aspects of the invention will now be referred to more'in detail.

Fig. 8 illustrates a simple arrangement, again embodied for purposes of illustrationin a folding machine, in which the article is folded at a definite distance from one of .its edges, say the leading edge. The circuits of the control mechanism are much like those in the arrangementes'hown in Fig. 1. The electron discharge valve A', of Fig. 1, how-.

' ever, has been omitted and the time delay relay solenoid I 5 therefor.

0 ploye system includes onlythe valves B and. C, associated respectively with relay coils IT, 50, having armatures 60, 68. A single trip device I is emd and the folding machine, as before, in* cludes the work carrying belt II), the folding rolls I2, l3, the folding blade Is and the actuating Without specific descrip ments, on account of their similarity to those of Fig. 1, the operation may be described as follows: The apparatus operates, of course, only with respect to all articles which in length exceed a' predetermined minimum, to-wit, the distance between trip device I and the folding-blade I4. .All articles exceeding that minimum length will receive a folding operation at the same distance from the leading edge of each article, a distance determined by the charge initially placed in capacitance 39 of the valve C. Chargingof said tion of the various ele- 

